The energy-saving potato variety in contention to become Britain's 'ultimate roast' | Science, climate and technology news

What do you get when you mix a starchy vegetable and a cartoon fish? The ‘ultimate roasting spud’ of course.

It may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but demand for the hybrid Nemo potato variety has seen a huge boost in the amount being planted.

Striking because of its appearance – red-pink skin with yellow spots – the potato is named after the clownfish from Disney Pixar’s Finding Nemo.

But the vegetable is also being praised for reducing cooking time by 25%, which Tesco says means it saves energy in the home without sacrificing taste.

According to the supermarket chain, the potato proved so popular when it went on sale in stores during a limited trial that potato supplier Branston planted enough of the variety to last seven months.

“The Nemo is now well on its way to becoming a modern British classic potato and is already being talked about by those who have tried it as the ultimate frying pudding,” says Tesco potato buyer Lucy Moss.

“The potato is considered a game-changer not only because it can reduce cooking time compared to the average frying pudding, but also because of its delicious creamy flavor, rich, fluffy texture, crispy exterior and striking golden color.”

Branston said it plans to further increase the availability of Nemo in the coming years, hoping it can join the likes of King Edward and Maris Piper as the spuds of choice for frying.

Mark Willcox, director of agronomy at the supplier, said: “Developing a new potato takes many years as we need to understand how and where it grows best as we test it in the market.”

He said Nemo potatoes are also good for the environment because they require small amounts of fertilizer, have strong disease resistance and use water efficiently.

“Many of the Nemo fields have benefited local biodiversity through the planting of flower-rich lawn borders,” he said.

Nemo is a phureja hybrid variety. It combines the fast-growing character of original Peruvian potatoes with the winter hardiness of modern European varieties from the Solanum tuberosum Solanaceae family.